for these Steelers players headed to the 2019 Pro Bowl:Antonio Brown, James Conner, David DeCastro, Cameron Heyward, Maurkice Pouncey and Alejandro Villanueva.
And Big Ben couldnt’ be happier to see members of his offense selected –

“They are the best line in the league. They really are the reason I stay upright and healthy. They are the most important part of this team because as they go, we go.”

The Pro Bowl will be played on Sunday, Jan. 27th at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.You can read more about the selections here.

Recap provided by 93.7 The Fan:During his radio show on The Fan Tuesday, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says Sunday’s victory against the New England Patriots was the definition of a complete team win.

“It just felt like everybody contributed. It might not have been a spectacular day on anybody’s front but it was a pretty good offensive day. It sounds crazy because he didn’t score all the points we wanted to score and things like that but, just guys making plays,” said Roethlisberger.

Running back Jaylen Samuels had a big day filling in for the injured James Conner with 142 rushing yards on 19 carries. Roethlisberger says other than not picking up on a blitz that lead to a sack during the second drive, the rookie had a great day.

“After that (sack) I thought (he) did do some good things, picking up the blitz . . . and so the way that he played really I think will help his confidence and help him to continue to grow and we can continue to use him, that’s fun to see.”

Receiver James Washington, who Ben singled out a few weeks ago, had his biggest game so far this season with three catches for 65 yards.

“I thought that James made some huge plays for us. The one down the sideline tracking the ball, going up, high-pointing it, thought that was great. Then he had a catch and (broke) a tackle (for a) run. He starting to play with confidence and when I said that to him a few weeks ago, ‘get your confidence back’, he’s showing that,” said Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger was criticized for his strong criticism of Washington after the team’s loss to Denver but Ben says he knew Washington would use it to improve.

“That’s why I didn’t get too worked up when the outside world called me out for saying what I did to him because they don’t know what’s going on. You know there’s the talking heads and the “professionals” on ESPN and they think they know, but they really don’t know what’s going on inside our locker room so I am just so proud of (Washington).”

Before the game even started Roethlisberger says that they decided there weren’t going to be any individual player introductions and that he and center Maurkice Pouncey decided they wanted the team to come out together.

“Pouncey and I had a talk earlier in the week, and I went to Coach T, and said, ‘Hey, do you have any ideas of who you’re going to introduce?’ He kind of gave me a look like, ‘I’m going to do the offense.’ I said, ‘okay, well Pouncey and I have talked, and we said instead of introducing the offense we would like you to introduce the team.’ And he said, ‘OK.’ He kind of gave me a look like, ‘okay, sounds good,’ and that was the end of it. So that’s what we did.”

Roethlisberger also admitted that beating the Patriots is always a little more special, especially when it’s at home.

“Any time a team beats you way more than you beat them, you definitely want to go get them. Yeah, it means something. They’re the team that everyone wants to beat all the time. When you beat them it makes you feel a little bit more special.”

Asked about the report from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network that he had suffered cracked ribs, Roethlisberger said he doesn’t know where that came from and criticized Rapoport’s reporting.

“You shouldn’t even say his name on this show because nothing of what he says there is any truth to. I have no idea where that came from. My wife texted me before the game like, ‘Did you hear about this?’ I’m in the locker room like, ‘This is unbelievable.’ I don’t know where that guy gets his information from so we’re not even going to give him credence on this show if that’s OK with you.”

The Steelers say Roethlisberger is suffering from bruised ribs.

In 2013, Rapoport reported that Roethlisberger was unhappy with the Steelers and wanted to be traded to the Arizona Cardinals.You can listen to Ben’s full show here.

“Good team effort. It was going to be required. I like the no blink and supportive approach of the team in all three phases. We all had moments where we didn’t get it done. But we all had moments where we uplifted the other phases. That is what team is. We did what we had to do. Guys made plays. We are appreciative of the efforts, thankful to get the win, assess it and get ready to move on to the next challenge this journey possesses.” — Coach Tomlin.

“With the team’s eighth win of the year, #Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger ensured a non-losing record for the 15th time in his 15 seasons in the NFL.” — Burt Lauten, Steelers Director of Communications.

Ben Roethlisberger now has 30 touchdown passes in 2018 to mark the third season of his career with at least 30 scoring tosses (2007 and 2014: 32). pic.twitter.com/hTBzCSl3E1

“I thought [Jaylen Samuels’] whole game was awesome. He caught the ball, he ran. The way that he stepped up was special and James Washington as well. The plays that he made were just huge today for us and big plays for us…I thought guys answered the bell today!” — Ben.

“That’s a tough kid. I don’t know if he gets enough credit for all the things that he does. Runs when he has to, stands in the pocket, gives his receivers time, makes throws under pressure, people hanging on him, consistently the target every defense tries to attack. … He doesn’t give you many chances [for interceptions]. He uses the tight ends, the backs as well as the receivers. He’s got a lot of options. Makes a lot of good decisions on getting the ball to who has the best opportunity in space in coverage or the best matchup.” — Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

From Jeremy Fowler, ESPN.com:Very few humans can shuffle frantically to the left to avoid a sack and rip a fastball 45 yards between two Los Angeles Chargers defenders for an Antonio Brown touchdown the way Ben Roethlisberger did in Week 13.

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner had that play fresh in his mind as he described the eye-popping — and sometimes head-scratching — duality of Roethlisberger’s confidence as a thrower.

“Sometimes you want to say, ‘Where did that come from?. And then other times you’re like, ‘Where did that come from?’ I mean, it’s just a matter of how you say it.” — Randy Fichtner.

As the Steelers try to strengthen their playoff hopes with a win over the New England Patriots on Sunday, they will place the football in the hands of a quarterback who wins, dazzles and throws interceptions like few others.

In a new era of NFL passers that features human rifles (Patrick Mahomes), RPO wizards (Deshaun Watson) and other 7-on-7 disciples, Roethlisberger might be the last true extension of Brett Favre, whose penchant for picks and big plays embodied the throwback “gunslinger” mantra.

“I’m a quarterback that is going to go out and sling it. You talk about gunslinger or whatever you want to talk about. I’m not going to worry about interceptions. I hate doing them. They bother me. But I’m going to go out and play my game and try to help us win football games.” — Roethlisberger, on his weekly radio show in November.

Two different coaches interviewed for this story brought up the Favre comparison unprompted. One’s a Hall of Famer, the other will surely become one after retirement.

Roethlisberger ranks top five in the NFL in wins (47), touchdown passes (138), passing yards (21,187) and interceptions (65) in the last five seasons.

This season, Roethlisberger ranks tied for second among NFL quarterbacks with 13 interceptions in 13 games, but he also leads in passing attempts with 546 and is second in yards with 4,227.

The interceptions aren’t such a bad thing when viewed through the prism of pure production and wins.

Only Tom Brady (45) and Newton (38) have more regular-season wins than Roethlisberger (37) since 2015. Russell Wilson is tied with Roethlisberger in wins but has played in seven more games. Drew Brees is right behind them with 36.

The way Fichtner sees it, Roethlisberger just needs a bigger canvas than most.

“Some quarterbacks are scientists. Some are artists. Ben is an artist,” Fichtner said. “He’s going to create.”

That’s why Fichtner understands the occasional interception — off-script moments make Roethlisberger great — but he encourages Roethlisberger to avoid situational picks that swing momentum on a short field.

Sometimes, Roethlisberger will tell Fichtner that he needs a minute to cool down on the sidelines after a pick, but his longtime coach usually lurks because he wants his quarterback to know he’s with him.

“The ones that [can make his throws], you know their names — [Aaron] Rodgers, [Tom] Brady, [Drew] Brees. We’re talking about the best players in the game. Then sometimes you just say, ‘Wow, c’mon Ben. You can’t make that play every time.’ And sometimes it bites you. And I think he’s able to stand up after 15 years and being a leader of this team and caring, I think he’s able to stand up and say, ‘My bad.’ That’s a part of the game, too. I’m not afraid to say it. I don’t think he’s afraid to say it. That’s kind of what we’re hoping to develop amongst our group, that if I make a mistake, they make a mistake, hey, I’ll own up to it to my buddies, my teammates, and I’ll try not to make that mistake again.” — Randy Fichtner.

The interceptions haven’t affected Roethlisberger’s large presence on opponents’ scouting reports. One NFC defensive coordinator who faced Roethlisberger this season said Big Ben is still one of a small group of quarterbacks who are guaranteed to prolong your Sunday.

Attacking Roethlisberger with a three-man rush is futile, the coordinator said, and the numbers bear that out. Roethlisberger has 24 touchdown passes against three rushers or fewer since 2013, most in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

“Sometimes you have to make a decision to throw it in there. I like the quarterbacks who do,” the coordinator said. “He’s patient enough to go through his progressions, and he’ll stand in the pocket for as long as it takes. That’s part of why he’s so good. He’ll take chances other guys may not. And sometimes he loses. But he wins more than he loses. He’s like a Favre in that way.”

Tight end Vance McDonald feels a connection with Roethlisberger because he’s not safe.

“You see methodical quarterbacks who enjoy the checkdowns,” McDonald said. “To each his own, but at the same time, Ben is who Ben is because of how he’s played and the decisions he’s made. You never want Ben to be anyone else.

Recap from the Steelers’ Teresa Varley:After losing the last three games, the Steelers still hold on to first place in the AFC North at 7-5-1, with Baltimore breathing down their necks with a 7-6 record. Winning out is key, and it all begins this week against the Patriots at Heinz Field.

“It’s always a big game,” said Ben Roethlisberger. “They’re the best for a reason and everyone wants to go after them. They are fun, they are physical, a big challenge for us. It hasn’t been a big challenge for them, but for us it has been.”

The Patriots have won the last five meetings against the Steelers, and nine of the last 12 since Roethlisberger was drafted in 2004.

“The Patriots are one of the best teams for a reason. We are not the only team that has issues with them,” said Roethlisberger. “They’re that good. The past is the past, we can only focus on this week.”

The struggles of the last three weeks are something that Roethlisberger admits is frustrating, especially after riding a six-game win streak previously.

“It’s very frustrating. You want to win them all, but you understand you can’t,” said Roethlisberger. “We can only control this week. We have had opportunities. We just for whatever reason haven’t found a way to do it. I don’t think it’s from a lack of sense of urgency. It could be lack of execution, lack of one thing here or there. We understand what it takes to get it done. We just have to do it.

“We realize what’s at stake. Not panic. It’s not going to get any easier.”

The one thing he doesn’t want there to be any confusion over, is that frustration means there is any lack of confidence. Roethlisberger knows what the team is capable of. He said there is no lack of confidence. It’s just a matter now of going out and getting it done.

“I think it’s understanding what we need to do, facing adversity in the face and just getting ready for one of the biggest challenges we have had all year.”You can watch Ben’s interview here.You can read more from Ms. Varley here.

“I never heard anybody say anything negative to him, I never heard anybody yell make the (kick).”

Roethlisberger adds the Boswell needs to have the same confidence that he and the rest of the Steelers do.

“I just kind of put my hand on his back and said, ‘Hey, keep your head up. We’re going to need you at some point’ and hopefully he heard the words,” said Roethlisberger. “I haven’t lost confidence in him. I still think every time he lines up it’s going to go in. He needs to have that same confidence and I hope he does.”You can listen to Ben’s full show here.

From Teresa Varley’s recap at Steelers.com:
The Steelers fought until the end, but this one slipped away from them, losing to the Raiders, 24-21.

Ben Roethlisberger missed much of the second half with a rib injury, but with the offense not moving the ball with Joshua Dobbs in there, he came back with 5:20 to play in the game. Roethlisberger hit Brown for 13 yards, Samuels for 13 and 23, and Smith-Schuster for 12. Smith-Schuster took it to the one-yard line, and then in traffic grabbed the one-yard touchdown, reclaiming the lead, 21-17, but the lead would be short lived as the Raiders came right back, regaining the lead, 24-21.

With 15 seconds to play Roethlisberger took over again, and a short completion to James Washington and lateral to JuJu Smith-Schuster, who took it 43 more yards to the Raiders 22-yard line, gave them a chance to tie it. Chris Boswell would have sent it into overtime, but he slipped on his 40-yard field goal attempt and the kick was no good, Boswell’s second miss of the day.

Roethlisberger, despite missing more than a quarter and a half, completed 25 of 29 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns.You can read Ms. Varley’s full recap here.You can watch & listen to Ben’s post-game interview here.

“We are honored to be the recipient of this grant. Our K-9 training facility will be improved tremendously with the help of this money, thus improving the training not only for our K-9 Unit, but the other units who routinely use our facility for training.” — Sergeant Kalani Souza, Modesto Police Department, CA.

The Modesto Police Department will utilize the grant funds to update their K-9 training facility which is in need of some improvements, including agility equipment, secured housing for the K-9s, and general repair and maintenance.

During the 2018 NFL season, The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation will be distributing grants to K-9 units of police and fire departments in the cities and surrounding communities of each regular season away game for the Steelers. The Foundation will also distribute several grants to the Pittsburgh area. The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation invited police and fire departments across the country to submit proposals detailing their needs.

This marks the 12th season that Ben’s foundation has distributed grants to K-9 units. His mission is to support K-9 units of police and fire departments throughout the United States, with a particular emphasis on support for working dogs in Pittsburgh, PA.

The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation distributed more than $170,000 in grants to K-9 units around the country during the 2017 NFL season, including $82,000 in the Pittsburgh community. The Foundation has distributed in excess of $1.92 million since 2007.If you’d like more information about the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation you can visit Ben’s Foundation page. For more in-depth information, please contact Jessica Duffaut at www.givingback.org.Fans:
You can help support future K-9 grants by purchasing candy on Sarris Candies’ website, (www.SarrisCandiesFundraising.com), using a special purchase code (77-7777). Sarris will donate 25 percent of the purchase price to Ben’s foundation.

Would you like BigBen7 to post a birthday wish for you or someone else? Just email me with the name, and the birth month and day!

NOTE: Birthday greeting requests must be sent before the birthday month starts and prior to the posting of the new list. Otherwise, they will be put on the calendar for the next year.

King Street Sports Bar

If you are visiting or vacationing in South Carolina....

Stop by King Street Grille with locations in Charleston, Kiawah Island, James Island, Mt. Pleasant and Myrtle Beach!

"Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is part owner of the Charleston-based chain that is decked out in full Steelers theme. However, King Street Grille doesn't play favorites, it's a sports bar where all sports fans and fanatics are welcomed.

"If you're looking to catch up on sports highlights or catch a game, then this is the spot." -- Sun News Restaurant Review, July 29, 2010.

Don't Quit

The words from Coach Hep's favorite poem, "Don't Quit" were not recited just to motivate his players before a game - they were a way of life for him. Ben keeps a copy of that poem taped to his locker.